I just got my first SS Conical and I love it, It's a Stout Tanks 23g and the only complaint that I have about it is that it did not come with a racking arm, sold seperately for 39.99. It is great for doing 20g batches and it still fits in my cabinet freezer for conditioning.

Yeah I have the stout 14.5g conical. I love it...but mine is the model just prior to yours. I don't have a nice tri-clamp fitting on the lid like you do just a really irritating 90 degree hose barb. That's the only complaint I have with it.

I got the 7 gal Brew Bucket by SS Technologies last week. I think it is a real bargain at the price. I've been using a 15 gal plastic from Hobby Beverage for several years along with glass fermenters, so I'm in a position to make comparisons. The only thing missing on the SS Tech Brew Bucket is a dump valve on the bottom, but I can live without that. OK, there is no thermowell, but I stuck a fermentometer on the side and it is reasonably accurate. The quality of the workmanship is superb, and the rotating racking arm is clever but a bit short for my taste (I wish my Hobby Bev fermenter had one). I have a beer fermenting in it right now, and I've used the racking arm to take samples for SG measurements (very convenient!). So far, this thing is two thumbs up!

My first one came about a week ago, had a pin hole in the bottom of it. Called up SS Tech. and they gave me $50 back and sent me a new bucket. It arrived two days ago and it is free of leaks. I plan on brewing Monday, yeast starter is spinning away tonight.

It's an old thread, but I just completed my first batch using the SS Brewing Tech Chronical 7 gallon. I do ferment in a basement that holds a steady 67 degrees +/- 1 degree all year round. Had that not been the case, I wouldn't have bought this.

I purchased it for ease of use, ease of cleaning and better separation of the trub from the good stuff. So far, I am pleased; about the toughest thing is taking the time to disassemble the two valves. The dump valve uses 3/4 NPT, which is apparently a bit tougher to find in stainless steel. I found a "lead free" brass one ad Lowe's, but it doesn't thread on past the first thread. SS website says they are going to be offering one, but I've come to notice that most of the things they say and propose take longer than usually anticipated, but no big deal.